Textron Buys Arctic — Cat

Initially, the Arctic Cat brand was temporarily rebranded to "Textron Off Road" before reverting to the iconic "Arctic Cat" name for ATVs and side-by-sides. Manufacturing operations remained in Thief River Falls and St. Cloud, Minnesota.

In January 2026, Arctic Cat announced its acquisition of Widescape , a Canadian manufacturer of stand-up enduro snowmobiles. textron buys arctic cat

Textron invested in product development, including the Wildcat XX side-by-side. Initially, the Arctic Cat brand was temporarily rebranded

On April 24, 2025, Textron announced it sold the powersports business to an investment group led by former Arctic Cat executive (and then-Argo CEO) Brad Darling . In January 2026, Arctic Cat announced its acquisition

Textron, known for defense and industrial products, aimed to expand its specialized vehicles segment (E-Z-GO, Cushman) by adding Arctic Cat's snowmobiles and ATVs.

Following the acquisition by the investor group, Arctic Cat rehired staff and resumed operations in Minnesota in mid-2025.

The division faced struggles with inventory, dealer support, and market pressures, leading to a production suspension in late 2024 and 2025. 2025–2026: The "Return" of Arctic Cat